As south Floridians begin to recover following the destruction of Hurricane Irma, piles of debris continue to build on the streets.

The category 1 hurricane hit Miami on Sep. 10 with sustained wind speeds over 75 miles per hour. These conditions, combined with heavy downpour, led to thousands of trees being uprooted and spread debris throughout the streets.

In the weeks following the storm, residents have compiled the lost foliage into large piles along their driveways, waiting for the city to clean the area. However the sheer weight of the debris could take months to completely clear, according to Miami-Dade and Broward County officials.

These large piles of broken tree branches, uprooted shrubs, fallen fences and broken drywall have caused public concern on the relative safety of the roads. In the Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay areas, mountains of debris block sidewalks and spill onto narrow roads.

“A lot of people have made piles of discarded branches and tree trunks and placed them in the middle of the road, which makes it difficult to drive without going into another lane,” senior Anjuli Sharpley said.

In addition, the volume of dried debris has prompted concern over the hazards of potential fires. As Florida enters its dry season, which begins in -October and lasts through February, the risk of fires grows.   

“Even though the weather has been considerably stormy the past few weeks, the heat that typically follows the rain is often unbearable and can increase the risk for fires in dry areas,” Sharpley said.

The issue of clearing the leftover damage from Hurricane Irma comes with the sheer demand of vehicles and equipment to do the job. Residents of Houston, Texas continue to recover from Hurricane Harvey, a storm that touched down as a category 4, just two weeks before South Florida experienced their own storm. Plantation’s chief administrative officer, Horace McHugh, told Broward County’s Sun-Sentinel, that these natural disasters have prompted competition of contractors to clear the debris.

Although officials have estimated that it will take several weeks before the clearance of all vegetation, homeowners can take several precautions to ensure the safety of their homes as well as to assist the efforts of the clean-up crews. These efforts include separating debris like foliage from damaged fencing and roofs, and compiling waste in the front of homes, where waste is normally picked up.

“I think the process has been very slow because again it has been weeks since the hurricane which is long gone and I still find myself dodging all the debris,” junior Livia Hochman said. “I think they need to find a better plan soon before something like this happens again.”